Sterilizing device.



N0. 656,844. Patented lan. 29, |90.

' F. C..BURGHLZ. sTEmLlzmG DEVICE.

(Applicapion led Mar. 12, 1900.) (No Model.)` 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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UNITED STATES vPATENT GFFICE.

FRANK C. BURGHOLZ, OF HARRISON, NEW JERSEY.

STERILIZING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,844, dated January 29, 1901. Application filed. March 12, 1900. Serial No. 8,317. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FRANK C. BURGHQLZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrison, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements vin Sterilizing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make'aud use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specilication.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for the venting of barrels, casks, and other packages containing wines, beer, and other liquors.

My present invention has for its primary object to provide a novel construction of sterilizing device for the venting of barrels, casks, and the like by means of which beer, ales, water, wines, and, in fact, any liquid in general use as nourishment or tonic may be preserved for a long time and may be drawn from the barrel or cask in small quantities and from time to time as required without deterioration of the contents by the admission of sterilized or purified air passed through the venting and sterilizing device which forms the embodiment of my invention.

It is a well-known fact that a full cask or barrel of wine, cider, or other fermenting liquor may be preserved for years as long as the cask or barrel remains tightly closed; but as soon as the liquid is withdrawn in small quantities it has been found that the air which is admitted into the cask or barrel will soon deteriorate the contents. I have found, however, that sterilized or pure air can safely be admitted into the barrel or cask without injurious effects to the contents, which enables the drawing off of the liquid in small quantities from time to time as may be required. I have also found that by applying to the barrel or cask an air sterilizing or purifying device constructed in the manner of a vent, to purify the air while it is being admitted into the barrel or cask, water for drinking or other purposes on board ship, &c., can be kept in barrels or casks in a pure state and in good condition for a very long time.

Furthermore, by applying a vent made according to my invention to a package containing milk the latter can be kept sweet and pure during shipment and during thunderstorms.

Myinvention therefore consists in the novel sterilizing-vent hereinafter set forth and also in the novel arrangements and combinations of the several parts thereof, as well as in the details of the construction of such parts, all of which will be more fully described in the accompanying specification and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim thereof.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side view of my novel construction of sterilizing device screwed in position in the bung of a barrel, said bung and barrel portion being represented in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the sterilizing device. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the same, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4 4 in said Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a chambered body or main portion of the sterilizing-vent similar to that .represented in Fig. 2, but illustrating in addition thereto the use of a piece of wire-gauze or similar supporting means for retaining the `sterilizing material or agent in proper position in said device. Fig. 6 is a side view of a venting device similar to that represented in said Figs. l to 5, inclusive, but showing the same provided with a pair of stop-cocks ou opposite ends of the main body portion of the device; and Fig. 7 is a side View of a sterilizing device made according to my invention, illustrating its application to a vent, such as is used in connection with barrels or casks containing beer or ales, into which the vent is driven by means of a hammer and held thereinby frictional engagement instead of being screwed in position, as in the construction represented in lthe other figures of the drawings.

Similar letters of reference are employed in all of the said above-described views to indicate corresponding parts.

The device shown in the said drawings consists, essentially, of a main portion or body A, comprising a lower receiving portion a and an upper receiving portion a. The said IOO portion a, as will be seen from Figs. 2 and 5. is provided with an annular flange a2 and has at its lower end a screw threaded neck a3, formed with an opening or outlet a4. The said annular flange a2 of said lower portion ct rests upon an inwardly extending shoulder a7 of a ring Ct, provided with an internal screw as, which receives a correspondinglyarranged screw portion a on the upper receiving portion ct of the main body, as clearly illustrated. The upper part of this receiving portion a is provided with a suitable neck al, in which there is an opening or inlet all. These two portions tt and ct' are suitably secured in position in the said ring a6, with a suitable rubber gasketor other packing-ring b arranged between the two oppositely-placed edges of the respective receivingr portions a and a. Vhen these parts have thus been secured together, a chamber is provided, which is preferably coated or lined with a coating of wax or paraffin, as c, or other material which is impervious to air, whereby the main or body portion A by such arrangement of the coating c and the packing b is entirely free from any admission of air through the joints of the connected parts ct, tt, and a6, and the air can only be admitted at the opening or inlet Ct, and then passes through the sterilizing material or agent, such as cotton, (indicated by the reference-letter 01,) in the chamber formed in the Inain portion of body A, where the air-is purified and finally' escapes from the outlet a4 into a tubular ixtu re e and into the cask or barrel with which the device is connected. This fixture c is preferably made in the manner of av faucet and has a screw-threaded socket or receiving' portion e, into which the screw-threaded neck a3 is screwed, and whereby communication is established for the passage of the air from the outlet or opening a4 in said neck into the duct e2 of the fixture e, and thence into the barrel or cask, as will be clearly evident from an inspection of Fig. 2.

The lower portion of the fixturee is preferably made with a screw threaded end e3, whereby it can be screwed into the bung or into any other part of a barrel or cask in the usual and well-known manner, the threads of the screw portion es of the fixture securely holding the sterilizing vent in position against any pressure from within the cask or barrel. The said fixture e is also preferably provided with a stop-cock or valve portion e, by means of which the duct or passageway e2 through the fixture can be closed when it is desired to shutoff the supply of air from the device A into the barrel or cask or other package with which the sterilizing vent or device is employed.

In some cases, if found desirable, I may arrange in the receiving portion a of the main body A a wire-gauze g or other suitably-constructed supporting means which retains the sterilizing-cotton d or other sterilizing agent in place in the chambered parts of said main body A and prevents it from being forced down into the opening or outlet 0,4 in the neck a3, said supporting means g being of such construction that it will not interfere with the iow of the sterilized air from said main body A into the ixture e and through the latter into the barrel or cask with which the ventis connected.

In Fig. G I have represented the main portion or body A of the venting device provided directly above the inlet a with an air-'receiving fixture j', whichis provided with a socket j" for suitably connecting said fixture with the neck am. The said fixture f is made tubular in the manner of the fixture e and is preferably provided with a stop-cockf2 and a nozzle portion f3 for receiving a piece of tubing or other conveying means through which air is to be forced into the sterilizingchamber of the device, as will be elearlyevident.

When my novel construction of sterilizingvent is to be used with the ordinary construction of vent 7L (see Fig. 7) for barrels or casks containing beer or ales, which veut is driven into the bung by means of a mallet or hammer, I provide the air-inlet or valve portion 72, of said vent h with a screw-thread 71,2, as clearly illustrated. In this case the positions of the parts forming the main body A of' my sterilizing-venf are reversed, and upon the screw-threaded neck (t3 of the part a I have secured the socketed portion t" of a fixture t'. This fixture QI has a central duct or passageway 2 in communication with the sterilizingchamber of the main body A. The upper part of this fixture@l is provided with a screwthreaded socket t3 for securing the fixture upon the screw-thread h2 of the vent 71,. Said fixture t' may also be provided with a suitable stop-cock t4 for opening and closing the duct t2 in the fixture. From an inspection of said Fig. 7 it will be seen that the vent h can be driven in position upon the barrel or cask in the usual manner without any danger of destroying the usefulness of the sterilizing device connected therewith, and whenever the spigot of the barrel is opened for the drawing off of some of the liquor the valve in the vent 7L is actuated in the usual and Well-known manner, and a supply of sterilized and purified airis drawn from the sterilizing-chainber of the body A into and through the vent h and into the barrel or cask, as will be clearly evident.

From the above description of myinvention it will be clearly understood that I have devised a simple and operative attachment or vent for casks,barrels,and other packages containing wines,beer,ales, water,or other liquids for first sterilizing or purifying the air as it passes through the venting device and whereby the liquid can be withdrawn from the barrel or cask in quantities as required without any deterioration of the liquid remaining in the barrel or cask by the commingling therewith of any impure air, as heretofore, and.

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thereby preserving the liquid in the tapped barrel or cask for a long time and until the barrel or cask has been emptied of its contents.

I am fully aware that many changes may be made in the several arrangements and combinations of the parts as Well as in the details of the construction thereof without departing from the scope of my invention. Hence I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the parts, as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, nor do I coniine myself to the eXact details of the construction of such parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a vent for casks, barrels, or the like, the combination, with the tubular body of said vent, a valve in said body, and a receiving-socket, of a sterilizing device detachably arranged in said socket, consisting of a chambered main body, means connected with s aid body for securing it in position in said receiving-socket, a means of induction and eduction into and from said body for the passage therethrough of a fluid or air to be sterilized, a sterilizing material or agent in said chambered body, a means of support in said chambered body above the outlet therein for retaining said sterilizing material or agent in position, and a coating of paraffin between the inner walls of said chambered body and the sterilizing material or agent therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The herein-described sterilizing device for barrels, casks, or the like, comprising a chambered main body A, consisting of a pair of receiving portions or shells a and 01,', said shell a having an inlet and said shell et an outlet, a tubular iixture e, a socket e connected therewith in which said shell ct is removably arranged, having a direct means of communication with the outlet from said shell a, and a sterlizing material or agent in said chambered body A, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The herein-described sterilizing device for barrels, casks, or Ithe like, comprising a chambered main body A, consisting of a pair of receiving portions or shells a, and d', said shell a having an inlet and said shell a anv outlet, a tubular fixture e, a socket e connected therewith in which said shell a is removably arranged, having a direct means of communication with the outlet from said shell 0 a sterilizing material or agent in said chambered body A, and a coating of paraffin be tween the inner walls of said chambered body and the sterilizing material or agent therein, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The herein-described sterilizing device for barrels', casks, or the like, comprising a chambered main body A, consisting of a pair of receiving portions or shells a and a', said shell a having an inlet and said shell a an outlet, a tubular fixture e, a socket e connected therewith in which said shell a is removably arranged, having a direct means of communication with the outlet from said shell a, a sterilizing material or agent in said chambered body A, and a means of support in said chambered body above the outlet therein, for retaining the sterilizing material or agent in position, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The herein-described sterilizing device for barrels, casks, or the like, comprising a chambered main body A, consisting of a pair of receiving portions or shells a, and a', said shell ct having an inlet and said shell a having an outlet, a tubular fixture e, a socket e connected therewith in which said shell t is removably arranged, having a direct means of communication with the outlet from said shell a, a sterilizing material or agent in said chambered body A, a means of support in said chambered body above the outlet therein for retaining the sterilizing material or agent in position, and a coating of paraffin between the inner walls of said chambered body and the sterilizing material, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 6th day of March, 1900.

FRANK C. BURGHOLZ.

Witnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL, GEO. D. RICHARDS. 

